Rotary alternating pistons pump



Nov. 9, 1948. F. J. SALES 2,453,271

ROTARY ALTERNATING PISTONS PUMP Filed Feb. 15. 1943 3 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 Nov. 9, 1948. F. J. SALES 2,453,271

ROTARY ALTERNATING PISTONS PUMP Filed Feb. 15, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 9, 1948.

Filed Feb. 15, 1943 F. J. SALES ROTARY ALTERNA'I'ING PISTONS PUMP 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 9, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,453,271 ROTARY ALTERNATING PISTONS PUMP Frederick Eames Sales, London, England Application February 15, 1943, Serial No. 475,956 In Great Britain February 23, 1942 7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to rotary pumps, and compressors embodying pistons or blades which traverse an endless path in a continuous-manner for producing distinctive pressure or compression and suction stages in substantially a continuous manner so that the pump or compressor can be driven smoothly with uni-directional rotation while having the mechanical advantages of the reciprocating piston type of pump. One object of the invention is to produce a double acting rotary pump provided with means for alternately increasing and diminishing working spaces to obtain a continuous lift and delivery of fluid. A still further object of this invention is to provide a rotary pump with simultaneous oppositely acting (1. e. pressure and expansion) stages and' means for varying the output of the pump relatively to the prime mover of the pump. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent hereinafter when referring to the accompanying sheets of drawings illustratin embodiments of the invention, and wherein Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of an embodiment in which two opposed relatively rotatable coaxial rotors in the form of annular bodies are formed with co-operating pistons operating in an annular working space within such bodies to provide :a double acting pump.

Figure 2 is a half-sectional plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation view, the left hand half of which is taken on the line lie-3a of Figure 1 and the right hand half on the line 3b3b of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional end elevation view with the left hand half taken on the line 4a4a of Figure 1, and the right hand half on the line ib-4b of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail side elevation view showing a suitable device for obtaining speed variations of one main rotor element of the pump or the like relatively to an opposed main rotor element.

Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation of a m'odification.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5 inclusive of the drawings the rotary pump comprises two main rotor elements I and 2 of cylindrical form and formed with opposed endless annular channels 3 and 4 respectively, the element I having parallel concentric inner and outer walls 5 and 6 respec- 2 and I I fixed inside the rotor I and :a diametrically opposed pair of radial pistons I2 and I3 fixed inside the rotor 2. The rotor 2 has its cylindrical periphery I4 seated closely in a correspondingly shaped recess in the rotor I and is seated firmly in position by spring plungers I5 carried by an annular plate I6 fixed by screws IT to the open end of the rotor I. Screws I8 (only those :appropriate to the pistons I0 and II being shown) fix the pistons to'their rotors.

A housing I9 entirely encloses the two rotors, and is provided at one end with a bearing 20 for a hollow shaft 2| integral with the rotor 2, and. at the other end with a bearing 22 for a shaft 23 screwed relatively fixedly into a co-axial shaft 24 fixed by studs 25 also to the rotor 2 so that the shafts 2I, 23 and 24 rotate as a single shaft. The rotor I has an integral hollow shaft 26 loose upon the shaft 2 I.

The ro:ors are geared together in such manner that if the driving shaft 23 is driven uni-directionally at a uniform speed the pistons l0 and II of the rotor I will travel for nearly half a complete rotation at a progressively changing and a greater speed than the pistons I2 :and I3 so as to increase the distance between the trailing faces of the pistons I0 and II and the leading faces of .the pistons I2 and I3, whereupon the reverse action takes place (i. e. the pistons I0 and II progressively lose speed) for nearly the remaining half of the said complete rotation. This provides a double acting pump effect because the diametrically opposed progressively increasing pair of working spaces can act as suction or intake spaces while the pair of progressively decreasing workin spaces will act as compression spaces, it being undertood that the four pistons divide the annular working space or chamber 9 into four equal segmental spaces when the pistons l0 and II are at right angles to the pistons l2 and I3 and that each such space varies from slightly over 0 between opposed piston faces to almost between opposed piston faces and back again to slightly over 0 each revolution of the shaft 23.

The inlet port in the housing I9 for the fluid is indicated by the reference number 21 in Figure 2 and the outlet port by the reference numeral 28. The inlet port 21 communicates radially with an annular inlet passage 29 surrounding the hollow shaft 2I and sealed by annular return valves 32a and 33a, and will pass from these bores by radial openings 32b and 33b into annular channels 320 and 330 in the periphery of the shaft 2i, and from thence through radial ports to and 3d into the appropriate workings spaces in the annular chamber 9, these ports being conti uous to the inner or smaller radius ends of the said pistons, so that each piston has an inlet port close to one side of it and an outlet port close to the other side of it.

Substantially the same arrangement of ports and valves is provided for the outlet port 28 which registers at its inner end with an annular outlet passage 3% surrounding the shaft 26 and sealed by rings 3 3a, and communicating with outlet bores 36 and 37 in the shaft 2t via radial ports 35 and non-return valves 36:: and 310 located in the outlet ends of the two parallel bores 36 and 31. These said bores are in constant communication with annular channels 36b and 37b in the periphery of the shaft 2d, the fluid under pressure from the rotors passing from the working chamher 9 via radial ports to and dd and the channels 8% and Eli) to the bores 36 and 37.

In practice the rotor 2 will be rotated at constant speed from the shaft 23 and rotary motion in the same direction as rotor 2 will be imparted to the rotor i by means of gear wheels 38, 39, id and ll and an idler wheel 82, see Figures 3 and 5, which maintains constant driving connection between gear Wheels 38 and 39. The speed of rotor i will vary throughout each revolution, 31-- ternately being slightly above and slightly below that of rotor 2. This cycle is obtained by &- setting the axes of gear wheels 39 and 40 as shown in Figure 1 and providing in the gear wheel 39 a radial channel 39a receiving a lateral pin 60a. By adjusting the axle 43 of the gear wheel 39 translatively relatively to the axle d4 of gear wheel db the speed variation of the rotor i can be varied. To achieve this variation the axle 63 is fixed in a slidable block 65 guided by guide bars 6d, the adjustment being by means .of a pushpull, or threaded, axially adjustable rod 41 having a ball and socket connection 48 with a lug 49 of the block 65. The idler wheel 62 is carried by an axle 412a at the outer end of an arm 50, such axle 62a being guided in an arcuate slot 55 in a fixed plate 52.

As a modification, the rotor bodies i and 2 can be secured together relatively fixedly and an intermediate rotor member provided as shown in Figure 6 in which two substantially similar rotor bodies a and a are bolted together by bolts c and in which the beforesaid radial pistons ill! and i If (not shown) are fixed in relation to these two rotor members a and a and the radial pistons 83) and i lj are fixed at diametrically opposed points to the periphery of a rotor disc b integral with a hollow shaft 2la threaded as at Mo into fixed relationship with a shaft Hi). The relatively fixed rotor members a and a are fixed to the fixed extension 28 of the driving shaft 231 so that the pump now comprises an outer rotor (instituted by the parts a and a driven at uniform speed from the shaft 23f and an inner rotor b driven (as the beforesaid rotor I) at varying speeds by reason of the beforaaid arrangement of gear wheels 38f, 39f, 403, and MI. The inlet bores 32} and 33! can, as shown, communicate by radial inner ends 2:32 and i233 di rectly with the annular working space 9f which simply by way of example, is shown as of circular cross-section instead of rectangular cross-section as shown in the previous example. Compression springs c can be provided with the bolts c to obtain the requisite resiliency in the engagement of the wall of the working space 9 with the radial pistons i euuivalent to the effect obtained by the beforesaid spring loaded plungers iii, which are not required in the present embodiment. The arrangement of inlet and outlet ports, passages and associate valves is substantially the same in the present embodiment as in the prior described embodiment as will be evident by comparison of Figure 6 with Figure 1 of the drawings.

I claim:

1. A rotary pump or compressor comprising two rotor bodies, a. driving shaft fixed to one of said rotor bodies, a driven shaft coaxial with the driving shaft and fixedto the other rotor body, means pressing the two rotor bodies into close bearing contact with each other, an annular working chamber formed in the opposed faces of the two rotor bodies concentrically in relation to said shafts, radial pistons located in said working chamber and subdividng the working chamber into a number of working spaces, said radial pistons comprising two sets arranged in diametrically opposed pairs, one set being fixed in relation to one rotor and the other set being fixed in relat on to the other rotor, inlet and outlet ports on opposite sides of each radial piston, inlet passages in said driven shafts communicating with said inlet ports, outlet passages in said driving shaft communicating with said outlet ports, non-return valves controlling the flow of fluid to and from said ports, and means transmitting rotation from the driving to the driven shaft to provide at each complete rotation of the driving shaft alternate acceleration and deceleration of one rotor relatively to the other, whereby the successive opposed faces of the pistons move towards each other and away from each other during each rotation of the driving shaft.

2. A rotary pump or compressor comprising two rotor bodies, a driving shaft fixed to one of said rotor bodies, a driven shaft coaxial with the driving shaft and fixed to the other rotor body, means pressing the two rotor bodies into close bearing contact with each other, an annular working chamber formed in the opposed faces of the two rotor bodies concentrically in relation to said shafts, radial pistons located in said working chamber and sub-dividing the working chamber into a number of working spaces, said radial pistons comprising two sets arranged in diametrically opposed pairs, one set being fixed in relation to one rotor and the other set being fixed in relation to the other rotor, inlet and outlet ports on opposite sides of each radial piston, inlet passages in said driven shaft communicating with said inlet ports, outlet passages in said driving shaft communicating with said outlet ports, nonreturn valves controlling the fiow of fluid to and from said ports, a train of gear wheels connecting the driving shaft to the driven shaft, two of the gear wheels of the train having contiguous opposed surfaces, a lateral projection carried by one of said two wheels of the train and a channel in the other of :such two gear wheels-slidably receiving said projection, and means to adjust the axis of one of said gear wheels substantially radially relatively to the axis of the other whereby a variable throw connection from one of said gear wheels to the other is provided to obtain alternating acceleration and deceleration of the driven shaft relatively to the driving shaft so that the successive opposed faces of the pistons move towards each other and away from each other during each rotation of the driving shaft.

3. A rotary pump or compressor comprising two rotor bodies, a driving shaft fixed to one of said rotor bodies, a driven shaft coaxial with the driving shaft and fixed to the other rotor body, means pressing the two rotor bodies into close bearing contact with each other, an annular working chamber formed in the opposed faces of the two rotor bodies concentrically in relation to said shafts, radial pistons located in said working chamber and subdividing the working chamber into a number of working spaces, said radial pistons comprising two sets arranged in diametrically opposed pairs, one set being fixed in relation to one rotor and the other set being fixed in relation to the other rotor, inlet and outlet ports on opposite sides of each radial piston, inlet passages in said driven shaft communicating with said inlet ports, outlet passages in said driving shaft communicating with said outlet ports, non-return valves controlling the flow of fluid to and from said ports, a housing enclosing the said rotor bodies, hearings in said housing to support said shafts, a train of gear wheels connecting the driving shaft to the driven shaft, and a variable throw crank device connecting two of the gear wheels of the train to obtain alternating acceleration and deceleration of the driven shaft relatively to the driving shaft so that the successive opposed faces of the pistons move towards each other and away from each other during each rotation of the driving shaft.

4. In a rotary pump including a pair of rotors and having means adaptedto transmit rotation of one rotor to the other in an alternating accelerating and decelerating manner when said rotors are rotated in the same direction, shaft means for rotatably supporting said rotors for uni-directional rotation having a plurality of inlet and outlet passages defined therein, an annular working chamber formed by said rotors concentrically surrounding the shaft means, a set of radial pistons fixed to one of the rotors, a like set of radial pistons alternating with the first set of pistons and fixed to the other rotor, inlet and outlet ports defined in. said working chamber on opposite sides of each of said radial pistons, said inlet ports communicating with said inlet passages in said shaft means and said outlet ports communicating with said outlet passages, and check valves normally seated in the opposite ends of said shaft means from the said ports of the passages in said shaft means, said inlet passages extending from one end only of the said shaft means to the working chamber of the rotor, and the outlet passages extending only from the said working chamber to the opposite end of said shaft means from which extend said inlet passages,

to thereby provide a substantially uni-directional flow of fluid axially through the said shaft means from one end thereof to the other by way of the said working chamber adjacent one side of each radial piston and out of the said chamber from the opposite side of each radial piston, and out of the other end of the said shaft means.

5. A rotary pump or compressor comprising two rotors, a driving shaft fixed to one of said rotors, a driven shaft coaxial with the driving shaft and fixed to the other rotor, an endless annular working chamber formed in one of the two rotor bodies concentrically in relation to said shafts, radial pistons located in said working chamber and sub-dividing the working chamber into a number of working spaces, said radial pistons comprising two sets arranged in diametrically opposed pairs, one set being fixed inside the said endless annular working chamber by attachment to one of said rotors and the other set being fixed to the inner periphery of the other rotor so as to extend between the first set of pistons, inlet and outlet ports on opposite sides of each radial piston, inlet passages in said driven shaft communicating with said inlet ports, outlet passages in said driving shaft communicating with said outlet ports, non -return valves controlling the flow of fluid to and from said ports, housed in said passages in said shafts, and means transmitting rotation from the drivin to the driven shaft to provide at each complete rotation of the driving shaft alternate acceleration and deceleration of one rotor relatively to the other, whereby the successive opposed faces of the pistons move towards each other and away from each other during each rotation of the driving shaft.

6. A rotary pump or compressor comprising a housing, a plurality of concentrically arranged shafts, a pair of rotors mounted within the said housing in driving and driven relation on said shafts, an endless enclosed annular working chamber in one of said rotors, radial pistons in said working chamber arranged at diametrically opposed positions fixed to the interior portion of said rotor, radial pistons fixed on the inner periphery of the other rotor at diametrically opposed positions so as to project between the beforesaid pistons, one of said shafts being a driving shaft fixed to the said latter rotor, the said first rotor being formed as a fixed enlargement of one end of another one of the said shafts and rotating inside the first-mentioned rotor with its periphery shaped to complete the crosssectional continuity of said working chamber; means transmitting rotation from one shaft to the other to provide at each revolution alternate acceleration and deceleration of one rotor relatively to the other, means controllable from outside the housing for adjusting the speed variation of one rotor relatively to the other, inlet passages in one of said shafts and outlet passages in the other of said shafts, a non-return valve in each of said inlet and outlet passages, said passages communicating with the annular working chamber on opposite sides of the said pistons, and an inlet opening in said housing connected to said inlet passages in one shaft and an outlet opening in said housing connected to said outlet passages in the other of said shafts.

7. A rotary pump or compressor comprising a housing, a plurality of concentrically arranged shafts, a pair of rotors mounted within the said housing in driving and driven relation on said shafts, an endless enclosed annular working chamber in one of said rotors, radial pistons in said working chamber arranged at diametrically opposed positions fixed to the interior of said rotor, radial pistons fixed on the inner periphery of the other rotor interposed between the beforesaid pistons, one of said shafts being a driving shaft fixed to one of said rotors and another of said shafts being a driven shaft fixed to one of said rotors, the first-named rotor being formed as a fixed enlargement of one end of one of the shafts and rotating inside the other rotor with its periphery shaped to complete the cross-sectional continuity of said working chamber; a train of gear wheels connecting the driving shaft to the driven shaft, two of the gear wheels of the train having contiguous opposed surfaces and being slidable toward or away from each other. a lateral projection carried by one of said two wheels of the train and a channel in the other of said two gear wheels for receiving said projection when the said wheels are slidably moved toward each other, and means operable from outside the housing to adjust the axis of one of said gear wheels substantially radially relatively to the axis of the other, whereby a variable throw connection from one of said gear wheels to the other is provided to obtain alternating acceleration and deceleration' of the driven shaft relatively to the driving shaft, so that the successive opposed faces of the pistons move towards each other and away from each other on each rotation of the driving shaft, non-return valve controlled inlet passages. in one of said shafts and non-return valve controlled outlet passages in another of said shafts, said passages communicating with the annular working chamber on opposite sides of the said pistons, an inlet opening in said housing connected to said inlet passages, and an outlet opening in said housing connected to said outlet passages.

FREDERICK JAMES SALES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the filo of this patent:

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